Think
all multivitamins are created equal? If so, read on. Not only could you
be throwing away money by not receiving what is listed on the label,
you could be consuming something that is potentially toxic to your
body. Results from ConsumerLab.com indicates more than half of 21
multivitamins they tested had too little or too much of certain
ingredients listed on the label and many had unacceptably high levels
of the toxic heavy metal lead. ConsumerLab.com conducts independent
tests to help consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health,
wellness and nutrition products. According to their results, out of the
21 products tested, only 10 had accurate amounts of stated ingredients
as well as other quality standards. Some of their other findings
included - one women's multivitamin contained more than 10 times the
lead allowed without a label stating so (against current California
law), one children's vitamin contained more than double the vitamin A
(potentially toxic to children under the age of 9) and some products
weren't likely to break up in one's digestive tract and instead, simply
pass completely through without sufficient absorption. So when
purchasing vitamins, it's a good idea to purchase a quality product
from a reputable company to ensure you're not only getting the health
benefits you paid for, but also, so you’re not consuming a product that
is potentially toxic.

A
new study has found that regular exercise appears to protect the body
from depositing fat when a person increases their short-term fat
consumption. In the study, researchers took a group of ten sedentary
women and had them exercise at three different levels while altering
their diet consisting of 30 percent calories from fat to 50 percent
calories from fat. They found the more the women exercised, the faster
they were able to burn the fat calories. In other words, for those who
exercise, occasional indulgences in high fatty meals appear to be well
tolerated. For those not exercising, even occasional fatty indulgences
can result in an almost immediate storage to fat.

Many
studies have been conducted on young and middle aged adults showing the
substantial benefits of dietary modifications and exercise addition to
one's lifestyle. Unfortunately, far fewer studies exist for the
elderly. Now, results from a new study indicate these benefits are also
significant in the elderly. In a recent study published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 27 sedentary obese men and women aged 65
were randomly assigned to a diet and exercise program. Those elderly
subjects who were assigned to the diet and exercise program
significantly lowered their bodyweight, blood pressure, blood sugar and
bad blood triglycerides. More specifically, those elderly who were
assigned to the diet and exercise program lost an average of 18 pounds
and experienced an 59 percent decrease in metabolic syndrome (a
collection of conditions that increase an individual's risk of type 2
diabetes and heart disease) as compared to the control group who did
not participate in the diet and exercise program.

Most
of us know the importance of antioxidants - those little superheroes
that help our bodies neutralize free radicals that otherwise reap havoc
on our bodies. A new Polish study reveals that for those who consume
apple juice, the cloudier the apple juice the greater the concentration
of antioxidants present. In fact, researchers found the cloudy juice
contained up to four times the level of antioxidants. So what's the
reason most apple juice sold is clear? Clear juice is more appealing to
consumers and has a longer shelf life. It should be noted that as good
as the cloudy apple juice is as compared to the clear, no apple juice
beats the nutrients and antioxidants consumed by eating a fresh apple
with the skin.

Author: ChiroPlanet.comSource: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, January 15, 2007.Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2007